1. Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to electronic systems, and more particularly, to overvoltage protection for integrated circuits in integrated circuit packages.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Certain electronic systems can be exposed to a transient electrical event, or an electrical signal of a relatively short duration having rapidly changing voltage and high power. Transient electrical events can include, for example, electrical overstress/electrostatic discharge (EOS/ESD) events arising from the abrupt release of charge from an object or person to an electronic system.
Transient electrical events can damage integrated circuits (ICs) of an electronic system due to overvoltage conditions and/or high levels of power dissipation over relatively small areas of the ICs. High power dissipation can increase IC temperature, and ESD can lead to numerous other problems, such as gate oxide punch-through, junction damage, metal damage, and surface charge accumulation. Moreover, transient electrical events can induce latch-up (in other words, inadvertent creation of a low-impedance path), thereby disrupting the functioning of the IC and potentially causing permanent damage to the IC.